Selective combination salt-and-pepper shaker



'Nov.18, 1952 w. SANDFORD SELECTIVE COMBINATION SALT-AND-PEPPER SHAKERFilgd Dec. 18, 1950 Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESELECTIVE COMBINATION SALT-AND- PEPPER SHAKER 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in salt and pepper dispensers andprovides a unitary shaker for selectively or simultaneously dispensingeither or both, salt and pepper, and when dispensing both, they can bedispensed in any desired proportion. This invention also provides meansfor identifying the seasoning which will be dispensed, and when both aresimultaneously dispensed, indicate the relative proportions. The twoseasonings are completely and effectively sealed from each other andcannot become intermixed within the container, because of an effectivelocking arrangement for the cover which permits rotation of the coverwithout varying the relative axial position, the cover remaining in thesame plane for all adjustments. Obviously the same arrangement can beused for several different seasonings by providing additional partitionswith the cover arranged with dispensing apertures to include only asingle compartment.

This device is simple and easy to manufacture, particularly ofthermo-plastic materials, as al parts are made to draw easily frommolds, and therefore can be made to sell at a very reasonable price, andobviously, will be more convenient for use since only one dispenser isrequired eliminating the frequent searches and inspections when eitherof the seasonings is desired, and additionally reducing the number ofpieces required in setting a table.

It is known that combination salt and pepper shakers have been made, butthese usually are of the type in which the device is turned bodily todispense either, the salt or the pepper, both sides having dispensingapertures, with no perfect seals between the respective compartments.

Applicants dispenser always maintains a perfect seal between thecompartments and is adjustable to dispense any one of the seasoningsalone or any proportion of two seasonings, merely by adjusting the capwhich has dispensing apertures which include an area less than the areaof any one compartment.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide a combination seasoning dispenser which is adjustableto dispense a single seasoning only, or a combination of two seasoningsin any desired proportions simultaneously.

Second, to provide a dispenser as outlined with iii Fourth, to provide anew type of cover maintaining and retaining or locking means which doesnot alter the relative axial position of the dispensing coverirrespective of adjustments but which permits removal of the cover whendesired.

Fifth, to provide a dispenser as outlined with indicating means forindicating the seasoning to be dispensed and additional indicating meansfor indicating the relative proportions of two seasonings to bedispensed simultaneously.

Sixth, to provide a dispenser as outlined which is simple and economicalto manufacture and therefore capable of marketing at a very reasonableprice.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical section through the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the indicating plate and compartmentseal.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the indicating plate and compartment sealincluding the stop means for limiting the relative rotative movement ofthe dispensing cover.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the inside of the skirt of the dispensingcover showing the locking and retaining means.

The invention includes a receptacle In which may have any desired form,and includes a base I I and a partition l2 which divides the containerinto a plurality of compartments.

The upper end of this container has an annular ring 13 spaced from thetop M of the external wall, and has oppositely located projections l5and I6 spaced slightly below the top H, and the top I! of the partitionI2 is preferably formed to the same shape as the underside l8 of thecover i9 and terminates on each side coincident with the top i l of theside walls of the container, and this partition is preferably providedwith a central pivot 2i to insure proper centering of the indicatorplate 2! which has depending ears 22 and 23 which span the thickness ofthe partition and maintain the plate against turning about the axis 20.

The dispensing cover slidably fits the upper end of the side walls asindicated at 24 and has a continuous roove 25 formed on the inside inwhich the projections it ride when the bottom edge 25 of the coverslidably engages the top surface 27 of the annular ring I3, and thedistance from the top 2'5 of this annular ring [3 to the top M of theside wall and through the indicator plate is equal to the inside heightof the cover skirt, thus completing the seal between the partition andthe cover.

This cover has a depending stop member 28 which selectively engages thewalls 29 and 30 of the recesses 3| and 32 which are formed in the top ofthe indicator plate, the remaining portions 33 and 34 cooperating withthe inside of the cover and thus maintaining the seal between thecompartments.

The locking means consists of a groove 35 formed at an angle to thecontinuous groove 25 and continuing into a groove 36 parallel to thegroove 25, and terminating in another groove 3'! which opens through thebottom edge of the cover skirt.

The indicating means consists of a transparent frame 38 which is formedin one side of the top and through which the indicia 39 and 40 can beseen selectively. If plastic is used for molding the 7 cover, a smallsection of the transparent plastic can be located in the mold and themain body of plastic can then be formed around it, or the opening can bemade and the transparent section forced or otherwise secured in theopening However it is important that the transparent section be flushwith the underside of the cover. 7

The principal reasons for using a separate indicator plate and seal isthat this indicator plate can be installed to suit the specificmaterials to be dispensed, as it can also be used for otherseasonings,'for chemicals and powders, and, because it greatlysimplifies the molding of the container and therefor the cost ofmanufacture, since if this plate were molded in place with thepartition, either the partition would necessarily be unduly thick, or adifficult coring job would result.

The dispensing apertures 4| cover an area less than the area of one ofthe compartments, and as shown in Fig. 2, the salt would be completelysealed in the container and only the pepper could be dispensed. Byrotating the cover through 180 degrees until the stop 28 engages theother wall 29 as indicated in Fig. 4, the indicia salt will appearthrough the window 38 and the dispensing apertures 4| will be on theopposite side from that shown in Fig. 2. To equally dispense bothseasonings, the cover is rotated until the two indicators 42 on thecover and 43 on the annular ring are brought into registry when thedispensing apertures will straddle the indicating plate and partition,and from that point the relative proportions dispensed are indicated bythe amount these two indicators are out of registry. These indicatorsalso serve'as locators for the locking means. When they are in registry,the cover can be raised until the lugs I and I6 engage the bottom wall44 of the slot 38, after which the cover must be rotated through aslight angle until stopped by the wall 45 of the slot 31, after whichthe cover can be removed. With the cover removed, the indicator platecan be changed to any other indicia as desired.

Thus,a dispenser is provided with which a plurality of difierentpowdered and fine granular materials can be selectively dispensed orsimultaneously dispensed in similar or different proportions, whilemaintaining an effective seal between the different materialsirrespective of the adjustments of the dispensing means, and with thedispensing cover provided with retaining means for rotation of the coverin a constant plane, and with the cover removable only when in onerelative rotative position coupled with rotation to a second position,and with theme 4 position suitably identifiable and with thatidentifiable position indicating simultaneously the position for equaldispensing of two materials simultaneously.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for powdered or fine granular materials comprising acontainer divided into compartments by an intervening partition, and acover rotatable to two positions on the upper end of said container andhaving dispensing apertures formed within an area less than the area ofeither compartment for selective dispensing from the respectivecompartments, and with the compartments sealed from each otherthroughout their extent; means for maintaining said cover in the sameplane during rotation thereof to said two positions and includinglocking means for retaining said cover against removal comprising askirt on said cover slidably fitting the top of said container,projections on the upper end of the external walls of said container,and a continuous groove formed in the inside of said skirt with saidprojections riding therein, and a first depending groove connecting withsaid continuous groove and located midway between said two positions andterminating in a parallel groove similarly terminating in a seconddepending groove, and indicators on said container and said cover forindicating the registry of said projection with said first dependinggroove, whereby said cover is only partly withdrawable when theindicators are in registry, and the cover is removable only by a secondrotative movement followed by withdrawal of the cover.

2. A salt and pepper shaker comprising; a container having a centralvertical partition forming two compartments, a cover rotatable on theupper end of said container and having dispensing apertures formed inone half thereof with the other half forming a complete seal, wherebywhen the cover is in one position, dispensing occurs from onecompartment, and when the cover is rotated to a second positiondispensing occurs from the other compartment, and when the cover isrotated to any intermediate position dispensing occurs simultaneouslyfrom both compartments in proportion to the degree of over or underrotation relative to the partition; said container having an annularshoulder in spaced relation to the top of the external walls, andoppositely projecting lugs intermediate the height of the wall abovesaid ring, said cover havinga. skirt, and an annular groove formed inthe interior surface of said skirt and cooperating with said lugs, andoutlet grooves communicating with said annular groove for removal of thecover when the outlet grooves are in registry with said lugs, formaintaining the cover in a constant relative plane for maintaining theseal between the cover and the partition.

3. A salt and pepper shaker comprising; a container having a centralvertical partition forming two compartments, a cover rotatable on theupper end of said container and having dispensing apertures formed inone half thereof with the other half forming a complete seal, wherebywhen the cover is in one position, dispensing occurs from onecompartment, and when the cover is rotated to a second positiondispensing occurs from the other compartment, and when the cover isrotated to any intermediate position dispens ing occurs simultaneouslyfrom both compartments in proportion to the degree of over or underrotation relative to the partition; oppositely pro-' jecting lugs formedon the upper portion ofthe outside walls of said container; said coverhaving a depending skirt and an annular groove formed in the inside wallof said depending skirt and cooperating slidably with said lugs,opposite depending grooves formed in communication with said annulargroove and terminating in grooves parallel to said annular groove and inturn terminating in exit grooves, and indicators formed respectively onsaid container and said skirt for indicating registry of said dependinggrooves with said lugs for partial removal of the cover, and being fullyremovable through a slight angular rotation of the cover for registry ofthe lugs with the exit grooves, said indicators simultaneouslyindicating the midposition of said cover for simultaneously indicatingthe midposition of said cover for simultaneous dispensing from bothcompartments in equal proportions with slight rotation in eitherdirection varying said proportions at will.

4. A salt and pepper shaker comprising; a container having a centralvertical partition forming two compartments, a cover rotatable on theupper end of said container and having dispensing apertures formed inone half thereof with the other half forming a complete seal, wherebywhen the cover is in one position, dispensing occurs from onecompartment, and when the cover is rotated to a second positiondispensing occurs from the other compartment, and when the cover isrotated to any intermediate position dispensing occurs simultaneouslyfrom both compartments in proportion to the degree of over or underrotation relative to the partition; said container having an annularshoulder in spaced relation to the top of the external walls, andoppositely projecting lugs intermediate the height of the wall abovesaid ring, said cover having a skirt, and an annular groove formed inthe interior surface of said skirt and cooperating with said lugs, andoutlet grooves communicating with said annular groove for removal of thecover when the outlet grooves are in registry with said lugs, formaintaining the cover in a constant relative plane for maintaining theseal between the cover and the partition, an interchangeable indicatingplate mounted on said partition and cooperating with the inside of saidcover and forming sealing means between the partition and the coverirrespective of the rotative position of the cover, indicia formed onsaid plate, and a window in said cover for indicating the material to bedispensed when the cover is in its respective position.

5. A salt and pepper shaker comprising; a container having a centralvertical partition forming two compartments, a cover rotatable on theupper end of said container and having dispensing apertures formed inone half thereof with the other half forming a complete seal, wherebywhen the cover is in one position, dispensing occurs from onecompartment, and when the cover is rotated to a second positiondispensing occurs from the other compartment, and when the cover isrotated to any intermediate position dispensing occurs simultaneouslyfrom both compartments in proportion to the degree of over or underrotation relative to the partition; an interchangeable indicating platemounted on said partition and cooperating with the inside of said coverand forming sealing means between the partition and the coverirrespective of the rotative position of the cover, indicia formed onsaid plate, and a window in said cover for indicating the material to bedispensed when the cover is in its respective positions, oppositelyprojecting lugs formed on the upper portion of the outside walls of saidcontainer; said cover having a depending skirt and an annular grooveformed in the inside wall of said depending skirt and cooperatingslidably with said lugs, opposite depending grooves formed incommunication with said annular groove and terminating in groovesparallel to said annular groove and in turn terminating in exit grooves,and indicators formed respectively on said container and said skirt forindicating registry of said depending grooves with said lugs for partialremoval of the cover, and being fully removable through a slight angularrotation of the cover for registry of the lugs with the exit grooves,said indicators simultaneously indicating the midposition of said coverfor simultaneous dispensing from both compartments in equal proportions,with slight rotation in either direction varying said proportions atwill.

WESLEY VSANDFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file orthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,241,044 Stenberg May 6, 19412,493,109 Coleman Jan. 3, 1950

